First crop of Connecticut sweet corn ready for weekend

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Sweet Corn

First crop of Connecticut sweet corn ready for weekend

Sweet Corn

HARTFORD — Connecticut’s first crop of sweet corn is expected to be ready for consumers over the holiday weekend.

Department of Agriculture Commissioner Steven Reviczky said owners of several larger farms that supply farm stands and markets across Connecticut have been able to pick corn early because they’ve used growing aids such a plastic mulch and mesh fabric row covers. Those techniques help warm the soil and speed germination, root growth and plant maturity.

Reviczky said without farmers investing the time and money in such techniques, the sweet corn available in Connecticut over the July 4th holiday would most likely have been shipped from South American growers, harvested about a week ago.

There are about 300 farms across Connecticut that grow a total of 4,000 acres of sweet corn.